Transcript of Opening Remarks by Singapore’s Permanent Representative to ASEAN Gerard Ho at the 3rd ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Seminar Series on Maritime Cooperation: Marine Protection and Preservation

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests, 

Good morning. I am pleased to welcome you to the AOIP Seminar Series on Marine Protection and Preservation co-organised by Singapore, Australia, Japan and India.

This Seminar concludes a productive three-part series, following our earlier discussions on ASEAN’s maritime cooperation as well as submarine cables.      

ASEAN is fundamentally a maritime region. One-third of global trade passes through the critical shipping lanes in Southeast Asia, including the Straits of Malacca, the Straits of Singapore, and the South China Sea. Our food, our trade, and climate resilience are closely tied to healthy oceans and resilient coastal ecosystems. Marine protection and preservation are therefore central to ASEAN’s long term sustainable development.

Our Leaders recognised this in adopting the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), which highlights maritime cooperation as a key area of practical collaboration. This seminar series gives effect to that vision

The focus of today’s seminar is urgent. Our oceans are under growing pressure from pollution, habitat loss, overfishing and the impacts of climate change. ASEAN is not immune to these trends.

For Singapore, a small island state whose prosperity depends on open seas and healthy maritime ecosystems, ocean conservation is existential, not aspirational.

Against this backdrop, today’s four sessions will discuss ASEAN’s progress and challenges, the Blue Economy, the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement, and ways to enhance marine sustainability and resilience in our region.

The discussions on the BBNJ are particularly timely. The Agreement strengthens the international legal framework for conserving and sustainably using marine biological diversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction, complementing the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

Singapore is proud to have contributed to this collective achievement. Our Ambassador for International Law, Rena Lee, served as President of the Intergovernmental Conference that successfully concluded the BBNJ negotiations. Her stewardship not only reflects Singapore’s commitment to the rule of law at sea, but also the broader interest of small coastal and archipelagic states, including within ASEAN, in a fair and rules-based order for managing the global commons.

ASEAN is not starting from scratch. We have built a strong foundation, with regional platforms, plans and guidelines to protect and conserve our marine environment.

The ASEAN Community Vision 2045 and its Strategic Plans place strong emphasis on the need for environment and marine protection.

The ASEAN Blue Economy Framework adopted in 2023 is another tool which recognises the potential of our oceans to be a new engine of sustainable, resilient and inclusive growth through an integrated, cross-sectoral and cross-stakeholder approach. 

The key now is effective implementation, deeper coordination among our sectoral bodies, and stronger partnerships with our external partners, international organisations, the private sector and local communities to further these efforts.

Today’s seminar brings together a valuable mix of government officials, industry players and academics to discuss ways to support greater regional collaboration to help secure a healthy and sustainable marine environment for our region.

On that note, I thank all our speakers, moderators and participants for contributing your time and expertise. I wish you a fruitful and engaging discussion, and a very successful seminar. Thank you.

Opening Remarks by Singapore’s Permanent Representative to ASEAN Gerard Ho at the 3rd ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) Seminar Series on Maritime Cooperation: Marine Protection and Preservation